With great sadness, we salute the life of one of our best-known contributors, Matt Lynch…

An Insider to the core, Matt Lynch was a staunch supporter of this magazine and a valued contributor who, for several years, wrote a much-loved column under the pseudonym of The Mayor. Accompanied by a revolving roster of ‘wingmen’, his reports from the bars, clubs and VIP rooms of Warsaw and beyond were both hilarious and outrageous in equal measure: a cross between The Hangover and Animal House, never did his writing fail to dwell on what he referred to as ‘Poland’s most valuable resource: its women’. In the age of political correctness, his gonzo prose, shameless antics and audacious pick-up advice were received by readers and editors alike with something that can only be described as horrified glee.

Easily identifiable by his wild shirts and extravagant jackets, Matt was a huge presence on the capital’s social circuit, a thundering whirlwind of quips, tricks and tales of adventure. But there was more to him than ‘the party’ alone. Moving to Poland in 1994, he became a successful businessman and was highly active in the American Chamber of Commerce. Typical of his human warmth, he used this acquired clout to raise millions for the Litewska Children’s Hospital Foundation, before ultimately becoming President of the organization. It was a role he cherished.

A champion of Polish-American relations, his easy charm, ready wit and upbeat persona captivated all who met him: when he spoke, people listened – and usually with a smile on their faces. Diagnosed with colon cancer in 2017, he fought his illness with dignity, courage and unfailing good humor, before finally succumbing to the disease earlier this year.

In the weeks before his death, Matt wrote to his brother, John, quoting a line from the film Serendipity: “The ancient Greeks didn’t do obituaries. After someone passed away, they simply asked, ‘did he live with passion?” In Matt’s case, the answer is emphatic.